Musical toy.



W. BARTHOLOMAE.

MUSICAL TOY. APPLICATION FILED N0\'.16, 191'1.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM BARTHOLOMAE, NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIG-NOR TO HARRY ZIMMERMAN,

' OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. I

MUSICAL TOY.

lowing is a specification, reference being had to-the accompanying drawings. 7

This invention relates to improvements in musical instruments and particularly to musicalinstruments which may be manufactured cheaply and soldas toysyand an object of this invention is the provision, in an instrument of the character just referred to, of-simple, cheap, eflicient, secure and durable means for holding the sounding members. 1

A'noth r object of this invention is to simplify and cheapen the construction and to increase the musical qualities, the efficiency and the attractiveness of the toy as a whole. v i

In the drawings illustrating the principle of this invention and the best mode now known tome of applying that principle, Figure 1 is a plan view of my new musical toy; Fig.2 is a section on the line A'A of Fig. 1; Fig.3 is a section on the line BB of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is an end View illustrating the manner of inserting the sounding bars. y

At each end the instrument is supported upon a widthwise-extending or transverse channekbar a of sheet metal; and each of these channel-bars is formed near each of its ends with a pair of lugs 12, which are struck up from the metal of the channelbar. Extending lengthwise of the instrument and forming the side-members thereof is a pair of channel-bars a the ends of which rest upon the end channel-bars a and are formed with holes a through which pass the lugs b. The latter are bent down toward each otherv so as to fasten or clench in. place, the lengthwise-extending side channel-bars 0 upon the widthwise extending end-channel-bars a. each of the lengthwise-extending side chanincl-bars c are formed with holes 0 through which pass the sounding bars f. The endS of the latter rest upon a piece of cord g.

which extends around the inner walls d of the channe'l-bars'o and is fastened to one Specification of Letters Patent.

The inner wall d of Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

tant to reduce the cost of manufacture in every way possible, in order that the instrument may be sold as a toy at a low price and yet at a profit. Heretofore it has been common to form the sounding bars in lnstruments'of this character with holes through which are driven tacks into wooden sticks which extend lengthwise of the instrument to form supporting frame-members. This mode of manufacture requires much time and makes the item of labor high ln the'cost of manufacture. Moreover, in thls prlor construction, the tacks become loosened and the instrument dismantled- In my new musical instrument, the soundmg members '1" are assembled as follows (see Fig. 4) After one of the lengthwiseextending side channel bars 0 has been firmly fastened to the supporting transverse end channel-bars a and while the other lengthwise-extending side channel-bars 0 remains still loosely mounted upon the latter, the last-named (or loosely mounted) lengthwise-extending bar 0 is tilted outwardly, as is shownon the left of Fig. 4. The operator is thus enabled to. pass the sounding bars 1 rapidly through the holes 0', after which the loose channel-bar c is fastened securely in place. When the instrument is thus assembled, the outer walls e of the lengthwise-extending side channelbars 0 are opposed to the ends of the sounding-bars f and hold the latter securely against displacement. Thisis an important feature of this invention. It is obvious that the lugs b may be readily loosened and the channel-bar c tipped and that, therefore, the .wall (Z may be thrown again into the position shown in Fig. 4.- so as to enable any one of the sounding-bars f to be removed and replaced; in short, the wall d is obviously readily displaceable with respect to the corresponding wall of the other channel member for the purpose of permitting the ready insertion and removal of the sounding-bars f.

I claim: v v

1. A musical instrument having a series of sounding bars; and a support for the same rovided with retaining devices opposed 0 the ends of said bars for retaining the latter against endwise displacement; said bars being loosely mounted and free to slide endwise on said support.

2. A musical instrument having a series of sounding members; and a support there for provided with retaining devices opposed to the ends thereof for retaining the same againstend rise displacement. and with retaining means through which. said members pass free to slide cndwisc and which retain the latter in spaced relation to one another.

3. A musical instrument having a series of sounding members; and a support therefor provided with walls opposed to the ends thereof for retaining the same. against endwise displacement and with retaining means through which said members pass free to slide endwise and which retain the latter in spaced relation to one another.

A musical instrun'ient having a series of sounding members; and a supporttherefor provided with retaining devices opposed to the ends thereof for retaining the same against endwise displacement and with walls formed with openings through which said members pass free to slide end *ise and which retain the latter in spaced relation to one another.

5. A musical instrument having a series of sounding members; and a support therefor provided with a pair of channel members in which lie the ends of said sounding members.

6. A musical instrument having a series of sounding members; and a support therefor provided with a pair of channel mem bers the inner opposed walls of which are formed with openings through which said sounding members pass free to slide endwise.

7. A musical instrument having a series of sounding members; and a support therefor provided with walls one pair of which is formed with openings through which said members pass and the other pair of which is opposed to the ends of said members; one of the :tirst-named pair of walls being readily displaceable with respect to the other wall thereof to permit the ready insertion and removal of the sounding members.

musical instrument having a series of sounding members; and a support therefor provided with walls one pair of which is formed with openings through which said members pass and the other pair of which is opposed to the. ends of said members.

9. A musical instrument having a series of sounding members; and a support there for provided with walls one pair of which is formed with openings through which said members pass and the other pair of which is opposed to the ends of .said members; one of said walls being readily displaceable to permit the ready insertion and removal of the sounding members.

Signed at the borough of Manhattan,

city, county and State of New York this- 

